Sportsmanship
by RawMateriel
Summary: Remus and Sirius struggle with the rules of engagement as they find themselves on opposite team for Quidditch World Cup qualifier. AU. Written for QLFC.


**Round 12**

Written for the QLFC, Season 5, Round 12.

Position: Captain

Position Prompt: You'll be writing about two characters in a romantic relationship.

Characters: Sirius/Remus

Title: Sportsmanship

Word Count: 1,400

Beta(s): AelysAlthea, CUtopia

Go Wanderers!

* * *

"I got it."

"What?!" Sirius asked, rushing through their shared flat on the chilly March morning.

"I got it," Remus said, holding up the letter in the pale light. The crest of the Welsh National Quidditch team was clearly visible at the top.

"Merlin," Sirius whispered, putting a hand over his mouth. He pulled it away to reveal a broad grin. "Remus!"

"I know." Remus licked his lips and and laughed a quiet, manic laugh as he looked from the letter in his hand to Sirius. "They're sending a uniform over," he said, smiling nervously.

Sirius suppressed the urge to glance around to see if anyone else was in the flat. It was _their_ flat; they'd be alone. They were alone so often now, it was still taking some getting used to.

"Will you put it on for me?" Sirius asked, and Remus raised an eyebrow.

"What's in it for me?"

"I'll help you out of it again."

"That's terribly kind of you."

* * *

"You're joking!" James exclaimed when they Flooed over to visit him and Lily some time later.

"No," Remus laughed. "Did it seem that unlikely?"

"No, no. Of course, it's just that… well... isn't it a bit of a conflict of interest?" James asked, glancing towards where Sirius was smoking on the patio. His pale hands and the glowing dot of the Muggle cigarette were just visible through the glass door at the back of the kitchen.

"Aren't you clever, James? I'm sure neither of the boys could've come to that on their own," Lily announced, joining them at the table. She was still dressed from work.

Remus sucked in air through his teeth with a hiss. "I wouldn't have made it through the English National team's physical. They test for everything. In Wales, they don't care as long as you can pronounce their anthem and fly."

"But still," James said, trying to adopt a more reasonable tone now that Lily was in the room. "Sirius is their Beater, and the other day I saw him flinch when a fly landed on your coat sleeve."

"He thought it was a bee," Remus defended, smiling down into his lap.

"That doesn't change the fact that he'll be expected to aim a Bludger at you next time England and Wales play."

"Sirius has aimed worse than that at him," Lily said, and she and Remus burst into fits of giggles.

* * *

The next morning, Remus woke up to Sirius in his red and white Quidditch robes. He was holding a tray of tea and toast, and sporting damp black curls which stuck to his pale neck.

"If you're already ready to go, does that make me late for work?" Remus asked blearily, blinking at Sirius.

"Do you think we should make a press announcement?" Sirius asked in a clumsy reply, and Remus's eyebrows shot up.

"Had a busy night of thinking, did you?" Remus asked, accepting the tray as Sirius came to sit on the edge of the bed.

"You're not late."

"Right, that's a yes. When are you ever up earlier than you need to be when you're not plagued by something?"

"I was not _plagued_ by anything last time."

"Your mother was in Mungo's."

"She's a bloody crone!"

"Granted, but it doesn't change the fact that you rarely miss an opportunity to let me watch you get changed in the mornings unless you're preoccupied."

"I don't… you could still… wait, you're distracting me. Answer the question."

"No conference. Refs will be hard on us if we're ever in the air together if they think we're behaving differently for personal reasons," Remus answered briskly, biting into a piece of toast and humming in approval. "This breakfast is going to deserve a proper thank you."

Sirius scratched the back of his neck. "But what if they…"  
"We've staved off bigger rumours. If they want us, they can have us when we're done competing against each other for at least one season. Sorry to delay your mother's disappointment. How early are you?"

"It's still dark out."

Remus pulled back the duvet and reached for Sirius's belt. "Come 'ere.

* * *

" _Lupin, the greenest player on the pitch, certainly isn't playing like it. Here he is racing up the pitch like a Hippogriff out of Hades, and it's gone to Williams, Davies, and back to Lupin. Who takes the shot! Oh! And it's been intercepted by Davies, who redirects the ball last minute to the far ring. What a play, the French Keeper is still reeling!"_

Lupin smiled in triumph, knowing they could win this. Knowing in his gut that they _would_ win this. When they did, they'd be through to the World Cup qualifier.

He wiped his forehead on his sleeve and barely dodged a Bludger. If they won this, they'd play England.

* * *

"You looked so good out there," Sirius grumbled, fumbling with Remus's coat as soon as he'd dragged him into the flat's entryway. Remus's back had been braced against the door with a clatter.

"Your hands are freezing!" Remus complained as Sirius slipped one under his shirt, but he'd reached for the button on Sirius's bloody upsettingly sexy Muggle jeans anyway. Sirius pressed into his hand.

"When I was in the stands and you winked at me, I thought I'd have to find somewhere if you didn't get off the pitch soon. You're so sexy when you fly. _Moony!_ "

Remus had made short work of more than the button. "Will you still think so when I wink at you on the pitch next week?"

"I'd probably hit myself over the head with my own bat."

* * *

"You're not afraid that it will ruin you?" Lily asked, sitting with Remus the morning before the first match he'd be playing against Sirius.

Remus shook his head, staring at his cup of tea. "Not if I have to drop the Quaffle."  
He and Sirius hadn't discussed it much, except to agree to play a fair game.

* * *

It had been a long match. The longest of the season. The crowd was nearly hoarse from roaring, but with the score so close, they couldn't help but try.

Remus had one eye on the umpteenth race for the Snitch being conducted by the Seekers just above him and one on the goal up ahead. He made a swift pass as something moved in his peripheral vision. He over-corrected as Davies raced ahead and flew right into the path of a well aimed Bludger.

A pained whine like a kicked dog followed the contact.

" _Lupin just manages to stay on his broom as Black looks on in distress at the other player's easy recovery. Lupin's tolerance for pain has grown infamous since his start in the spring_."

The crackle of the commentators voice faded out as Remus shot off after Davies, silencing whatever comment might have followed.

Remus had carefully avoided catching Sirius' eye for the entire game, which was why he was confused when the crowd erupted into cheers a moment later and a streak of red and white appeared right in front of him. He nearly collided with Sirius, who was flushed with adrenaline and sweating. He smelt divine, and he was grinning like a fool.

"They caught the Snitch!" Sirius shouted over the din, and Remus glanced around as the other players fell out of the order of play. "Are you alright? Your arm!"

"Thank fuck," Remus coughed and launched himself at Sirius, kissing him silly with the rush of pride he felt. Without the knowledge as to which one of them was the victor, he couldn't help but feel that they both were as Sirius's gloved hand knotted in his hair.

" _How's that for sportsmanship?!_ " The commentator cried. Whatever the reaction from the crowd was, it was loud, but Remus could hardly hear it.


End file.
